


you're so tall and handsome as hell

by reinacadeea



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Prompt Fic, height difference!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 02:08:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3878317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reinacadeea/pseuds/reinacadeea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>aaron and robert deal with being tall and... not so tall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**3\. “We’re both baristas and sometimes I have trouble reaching for things and I show up to work one day to find a personalized stool with hearts and my name on it i hATE YOU but also thanks”**

-

“What’s that?”

Robert looks smug. “It’s a go-getter.”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “It’s a stool,” he states.

“It’s a stool because you’re short,” Robert says and looks way too satisfied with himself.

Aaron stares at the offending object and makes note of the numerous hand-cut hearts and his name written in sparkly silver.

“Sarah helped,” Robert notes and slings an arm over Aaron’s shoulder and Aaron can imagine him and Sarah being annoyed at each other and spraying glitter all over Andy’s living room. The long shower Robert took yesterday suddenly makes a lot more sense.

“I hate you,” Aaron says and Robert smirks at him, pulling him into a kiss while he chuckles.

“At least you won’t have any trouble getting the files on the top shelf anymore,” he says.

“Could’a had a bit less glitter,” Aaron mutters under his breath and pulls Robert into another kiss, one of the hotter ones that has his heart racing a bit faster.

“Is that a thank-you?”

Robert’s got the best bedroom eyes and Aaron is only human. It’s considerate, is what it is. And for all that Robert’s incredibly selfish, Aaron’s always been a bit different. Robert spent time making it because of an off-hand comment Aaron made a week ago.

“Yes,” he says and Robert looks satisfied.

-

 

 

 

-

**5\. I’m in art class and I just opened a cupboard to find a tiny person (you) squished inside and you just looked at and said “shh i’m hiding”**

-

“Are you sure you can take Sarah to art class?” Andy asks for the nth time and Robert sighs annoyed.

“I have no job, no income and plenty of time,” he says honestly and gives Jack an affectionate pat on the head.

Andy laughs awkwardly. “As long as you’re sure.”

Robert shrugs and accepts Andy’s car keys. He hasn’t even got a car. Sarah’s a sweetheart and her and Jack are right now the most positive things in his life. They are probably the only ones who doesn’t judge him even though he can’t spoil them the way he could before.

“Are you ready, Sarah?” he asks his nice and she gives him one of her famed bright smiles, all crooked teeth and blond hair, extremely reminiscent of Debbie.

He might be bored to tears watching the teacher drone on about shades and meanings, but Sarah listens attentively and seems to be getting what drone-teacher says, drawing odd shapes and stick-figures that are supposed to resemble the volatile and fleeting life or something. Touché.

He gets up to find coffee, staring out of the windows without really seeing. It’s not until he’s attacked from behind and a man runs past him that he suddenly pays attention. “Hey, watch it!” he says annoyed and sidesteps the two police officers chasing the bloke. His interest is peaked and Sarah’s got another forty-five minutes left to go at art class. He doesn’t find either the police officers or the bloke, but he does find the coffee machine and is distracted, trying to make it not swallow all of his pennies. He’s got to save where he can now.

There’s a thumb from a cupboard nearby and he startles, nearly spilling his hot plastic cup. He sits it down gingerly and opens it, seeing Aaron the mechanic staring up at him panicked and who is also the bloke the police were chasing.

“Tried stealing someone’s car again?” Robert says and Aaron rolls his eyes.

They both hear someone coming around the corner and Robert shuts the cupboard on reflex and picks up his coffee again.

“You haven’t by any chance seen the young man we were chasing?” one of the coppers asks and Robert shrugs in a way that he hopes look innocent.

“I’m sorry, officers,” Robert says and wills himself to drop the attitude. That will look a lot more suspicious than hiding Aaron in the cupboard.

Both of the officers look resigned and continue their track through the building. When they’ve definitely gone, Robert opens the cupboard again and helps Aaron out, offering his hand.

“Thanks, mate,” Aaron says awkwardly and brushes off some suspicious white dust on his shoulder.

“Don’t mention it,” Robert says and it’s genuine… which is, uh, interesting.

“I’ll buy you a pint,” Aaron says and starts to wander off.

Maybe it’s the way Aaron treated him after the whole Home Farm ordeal or the way that Robert is bored to tears, having been kicked out by Chrissie and having no job and nothing really to get out of bed for. Aaron is… interesting.

“Wait!” he calls after him and Aaron turns around with a frown. “Those cars. Do you need some help?”

-

 

 

 

-

**6\. “We’re on the bus and I’m really not trying to take up your space I’m sorry I just have rlly rlly long legs”**

-

“You’re really starting to annoy me, mate,” Aaron grunts the sixth time the tall bloke sitting beside him bumps his legs and shoulders against him.

The blonde gives him an affronted look. “Go sit somewhere else then,” he sneers.

Aaron huffs. “Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there ain’t a lot of space in here.”

Hotten is still another half hour away and because of some fair, the bus is completely full. Add the huge bag sitting under the bloke’s seat; Aaron’s legs are squished against his and the insistent movement of his legs are driving Aaron mad.

“I so don’t need this,” the bloke says and continues shifting his legs up and down, up and down.

“I swear, if you don’t stop moving I’ll make sure your bag’s out the door at the next stop,” Aaron snaps. “I’m not joking.”

The bloke sighs. “It’s not my fault I’ve got long legs.”

“Not my problem,” Aaron tells him and puts his earbuds back in, A$AP Rocky singing about ‘Fucking Problems’. The bloke stills his legs though and Aaron returns to  
fretting about going home.

He gets off in Hotten where it connects to the Emmerdale bus, sitting down on the bench and wondering if he has the time to grab a beer from the cornershop across the street.

“I remember who you are now,” he tells the approaching feet and long legs.

Robert Sugden stares down at him, bag slung over one shoulder and a six-pack in the other.

“You’ve got better hair.”

Robert snorts in surprise amusement and Aaron feels strangely gratified. “You’re Chas’ lad, aren’t you? Aaron, right?” Robert says.

Aaron nods. “You sharing?”

Robert thrusts the beers forward and they share them while they wait for the bus, talking about whatever gossip Aaron’s heard from Paddy and his mum.

“I thought you had some fancy wife or sumthin,” Aaron says and Robert looks strangely sad about it, which is a stark contrast to the banter they’ve been sharing  
since Robert took a seat beside him.

“Yeah,” Robert says. “Turns out having a rich fiancé isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“How do you figure?” Aaron asks and thinks about the numerous rumours going about in the village of a younger Robert, of Katie and a rivalry with Andy that had spun out of control.

“Turns out sleeping with her gay best friend doesn’t exactly make me perfect husband material.”

Aaron snorts and feels a thrill coursing through him. “Yeah, that would do it.”

They share an amused smile. The bus arrives and this time, Aaron doesn’t really mind Robert’s legs that much.

-

 

 

-

**7\. We’re at a concert and I can’t see a thing let me sit on your shoulders, maybe?”**

-

Aaron had tried his hardest to tell Robert to bring someone else, begged even, gone on his knees and pleaded.

“I don’t want to go with Andy,” Robert had pouted over dinner and Aaron caves like he does often, too often.

Robert’s is giddy all the way to Manchester, singing along to an ancient CD that he had dug up from some of Diane’s old keepsake boxes.

“You’re a shite singer,” Aaron grumbles, but doesn’t object when Robert turns the volume up, and doesn’t try to hide the smile on his lips. Robert is unashamed, singing along to ‘Hotel California’ on loop.

It had been a birthday present; one that had cost Aaron a pretty penny and a lot of overtime that left Robert annoyed at his secretive behaviour. But the smile he had given Aaron had made all the stony silences worth it. He had secretly hoped that it was something that he and Andy or Victoria could have together. Robert had other ideas.

Robert towers nearly a head over Aaron in ordinary circumstances, but the way Aaron slouches doesn’t do him any favours in a crowd. He doesn’t really care about the music and instead watches middle-aged men making a fool of themselves and holds Robert’s pint when he wants to clap along with the crowd.

“It’s The Eagles, Aaron!” Robert shouts excitedly.

Aaron snorts. “They’re sound, yeah,” he says and tries to sound like he actually means it.

Robert rolls his eyes, so that is a bust but he’s fond about it. “My dad would have loved this.”

Aaron knows and that’s exactly why he got the tickets, knows it was the only concert Jack ever allowed his children to see with him.

“Wait,” Robert says suddenly and turns to Aaron worriedly. “Can you even see them?”

Aaron shrugs. “We can’t all be beanstalks, Rob. Us mere mortals hold the pints and stare at the big screens like proper people.”

“Yeah, you’re so funny sometimes,” Robert grins and bumps their elbows together.

“I could sit on your shoulders.”

“And break my back? No thanks.”

“Then stop worrying about me,” Aaron says. “I’m not here for The Eagles.”

Robert presses a brief kiss to his mouth, aware of the middle-aged crowd they are in, and instead settles with brushing their pinkies together like the tough men they are. Aaron still feels the tingles from Robert’s obvious affection.

" _This could be Heaven or this could be Hell_ ," Robert sings terribly off-key. “ _Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way_.”

  
Aaron doesn’t imagine it when Robert looks at him. The two of them. It’s a good life. He’s happy.

-


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy #6monthsofrobron!

 

**1\. “I’m in a bookshop and I really need that book can you get it for me??? Wait you’ve read that book? let’s have an in depth conversation about it.”**

 

-

 

Aaron has never been quite as acutely aware that he’s not tall as when he has to reach something from the top shelf. He sighs annoyed, reaching upwards on his tiptoes and almost reaching the binding with his index finger when his foot starts cramping. He’s forced to bend into a more comfortable position and tries to look around for something to stand on instead.

He finds a smirking figure watching him instead, leaning against a bookshelf, arms crossed and messy blonde hair covering his forehead. He’s too well-dressed for the fiction section of WHSmith, looking more at home in financial than with books with actual content.

“Have I got something in me teeth?” Aaron asks, but flushes nonetheless. It’s been awhile since he’s so obviously been cruised.

“No,” Mr. Business says, shaking his head no. “Do you need some help?”

Aaron watches him advance and as always, there is a thought in the back of his head saying that it’s improper, that it’s not right that he lets blokes get close. He doesn’t move though and doesn’t object the slightest when Mr. Business aligns their bodies towards the bookshelf.

“Which one is it?” he whispers into Aaron’s ear and Aaron shivers, feeling a man brushing up against him.

“The gr… green one,” he gets out, throat dry.

He can feel Mr. Business support a hand on his hip as he leans up and reaches for the green book without much difficulty at all.

“Here you go,” he breathes and Aaron’s already trying to remember where the nearest loo is when the bloke gets a proper look on the book. “I love this book!”

Aaron can admit to himself that he’s a bit blind-sided by the admission, especially because Mr. Business seems to genuinely mean it. “ _The Perks of Being a Wallflower_?”

“This is without a doubt one of the best works in modern literature about depression,” the bloke says passionately and pushes away from Aaron. “I don’t have high enough praise for this book.”

“Ugh,” Aaron says.

“I’m Robert by the way,” he says enthusiastically.

Aaron takes his offered hand and shakes it awkwardly. “Aaron, I’m Aaron.”

“Can I buy you a coffee?” Robert asks and before Aaron’s quite understood what’s happened, he’s got a steaming latte in front of him and overenthusiastic bloke sharing how he discovered _The Perks of Being a Wallflower_ on one of his many travels to America and Canada.

It’s sort of endearing though, how someone so incredibly sexy can do such a one-eighty and turn into a nerdy puppy. Aaron sort of fancies how Mr. Suit-n-Tie has got more to him than sex appeal.

“Have you read it before?” Robert says, taking a sip from his Americano.

“An ex bought it,” Aaron admits and thinks about Ed in France trying desperately to understand Aaron’s shifting moods and constantly second-guessing himself. It hits a chord with him that he can’t quite put a finger on; maybe it’s Charlie’s view of the world, how he feels he’s disconnected and side-lined.

“So, who are you in it?” Robert ask softly. “Who do you relate to most?”

“I don’t need to relate,” Aaron tells him honestly. “I am Charlie.”

Robert gives him a sad smile.

“Don’t need your pity, mate,” Aaron says.

“No,” Robert says. “But you have my respect. And my phone number if you want.”

 

-

 

-

 

**2\. “You were trying to reach for a box of cereal and a whole shelf’s-worth of cereal boxes fell on you here let me help”**

 

-

Robert startles awake, disoriented and annoyed. He looks at the clock and sees it flashing 02:34 in the morning.

He hears a small knock on his door and throws off his duvet to find a startled Diane on the other side. She whispers ‘thief’ at him and he rolls his eyes. No thief in their right mind would think the pub was a good place to rob. But he sees Chas coming out of her room with a bat, looking hyper vigilant.

“What are you doing with that?” Diane whispers surprised.

Chas shushes her and starts downstairs, one creaky step at the time, bat raised in a defensive position. Robert follows close behind her and wonders for a moment why Aaron hasn’t appeared from his own room to inspect the noise.

The mystery is solved several seconds later when they find him sitting on the floor, cornflakes spread out all around him.

Chas sighs visibly. “You scared me half to death, luv!”

“Why have you got a bat?” Aarons says annoyed and brushes a few crushed cornflakes off his bare feet.

“We thought you were a thief,” Robert comments and zeroes in on the way Aaron supports his once broken ankle on the way up from his position on the floor.

“Are you hurt?” Diane asks worriedly behind them.

“I’m fine,” Aaron says annoyed and brushes off his mother’s concerned hands.

“Good, because I’m going back to bed,” Diane says and gives his shoulder a quick squeese. “Goodnight all.”

“You can go, too,” Chas tells Robert when Diane’s gone back up.

“Mum,” Aaron sighs.

Robert stays exactly where he is and watches Chas sit Aaron on the couch, fussing about him. Robert’s lost any wishes to go back to bed, and starts cleaning up the mess on the floor. The cornflakes’ square packet has fallen onto the counter, spreading its content all over the floor. He tries to save a little bit of the flakes that haven’t fallen onto the floor and leaves it on the counter instead of on its usual place on top of the shelf. The only one who eats it is Aaron and Robert’s watched him struggle to get it several times. It’s not exactly Robert’s place to help and Aaron wouldn’t accept any help even if Robert offered.

“Just go back to bed, mum,” he hears Aaron say. “I’m not hurt.”

“Well, if you’re sure,” Chas says worriedly. She gives him a last worried hug and returns to her room with one last icy look towards Robert.

When he’s sure she’s gone, he goes through the freezer and finds a packet of peas that he wraps in a tea towel. He can feel Aaron watching silently, but he doesn’t let it bother him. It’s the middle of the night and Robert just wants to make sure Aaron’s ankle is all right. He’s the reason Aaron broke it in the first place and he remembers watching Aaron at the hospital, knowing he pushed him too far.

He sits down in front of Aaron on the living room table and taps Aaron’s leg.

“You don’t have to do this,” Aaron says silently, but he lifts his leg anyway, putting it into Robert’s lap.

Robert puts the peas on the recently mended ankle and caresses Aaron’s calf. He can feel Aaron relaxing, settling back into the sofa. All he wants is to cuddle up next to him like they did up at Home Farm, Aaron fitting into a space beside Robert that Robert honestly didn’t know existed.

“You need to sleep more than four hours a night,” Robert tells him softly. “You can’t live on caffeine.”

Aaron closes his eyes and turns his head away from Robert’s, looking away from the truth, the honesty.

“I worry, okay?” Robert says. “Sleeping is good for your head.”

“What do you know about that?” Aaron says gruffly. “You know naught of what goes on my head.”

“I know enough, all right? Enough to know that sleep is important to people with…” Robert stops and Aaron is paying attention now.

“People with what?” Aaron urges. “What have you been reading?”

Robert swallows. “If you need something from the top shelf you can ask for help. It’s allowed.”

Aaron sighs annoyed.

Robert waits for him to get up, waits for the moment that Aaron’s had enough, but he doesn’t move and Robert slowly slides his hand up Aaron’s calf muscles, through coarse hair until he reaches his knee. He can feel the goosebumps on Aaron’s skin and he can feel himself growing hard. He wants to go back in time and wake up to Aaron’s sleepy smile and his terrible morning breath. He wants to have that feeling again.

Instead, he’s got this… this nothing.

“Come on,” he says and pulls the ice off. “I’ll help you upstairs.”

Aaron doesn’t look like he wants to move, but eventually he grabs Robert’s extended hand and lets himself be pulled into an upright position. It’s too close and Robert can feel his pulse rising, especially because he can smell Aaron when he’s this close. He takes a deep breath and tries to commit it to memory. He’ll takes scraps if that’s all he’s left with.

It’s not enough.

 

-

 

**4\. “You are very tall and I am very short so you run into me all the time and honestly this is getting ridiculous”**

 

-

 

“Well, have you heard about Robert and Aaron?” Caroline asks her girlfriend.

A pair of very beautiful eyes looks up from her lunch and connects with Caroline curiously. “Aaron Livesy? The gay bloke?”

Caroline nods at Wanda. “Turns out Robert Sugden isn’t as perfectly straight as our former classmates made him out to be.”

Wanda giggles. “Robert Sugden flies the rainbow flag?”

“Apparently, he’s been seeing Aaron for months! His wife found out last week,” Caroline tells her and Wanda excitedly grasps her hand.

“We don’t need any gossip here, lovelies,” Bob comments on his way by their tables.

“Did you see what happened?” Caroline asks curiously and pulls Wanda’s hand into her lap.

“We’ve all heard, that’s for sure,” Bob says with flair. “Must be getting on. Hope you have a good one.”

“Thanks, Bob,” Wanda says with one of her brilliant smiles.

They don’t talk about it until one very random day some months later, when they run into Robert and Aaron at Bar West a very ordinary Friday evening.

“Caroline! Wanda!” Robert says surprised. “It’s been a long time.”

Caroline sees Aaron coming from the bar with pints. “He’s a fit bloke that one,” she tells Robert. “Not that I’d know.”

“Yeah,” Robert says with an almost fond expression on his face.

Caroline only remembers Robert as the angry young man of his youth, so she’s surprised by his gentle tone of voice. They join the gents at pool, playing the ultimate game of the sexes with angry shouts, shots and a very generous amount of annoyance at their respective partners.

“You’re too short,” Robert tells Aaron annoyed.

Aaron huffs and tries to place the cue a little better.

“I could do this shot much better,” Robert keeps on.

“Excuse my genes, Sir Tall,” Aaron bitches back and makes a perfect shot.

“It’s like watching Ant and Dec,” Wanda says laughing. “Who are actually gay for each other.”

Caroline and Wanda wins of course, because they have been together for ten odd years and knows who should take which shot. Aaron and Robert are babies – in more ways than one.

They see the boys off, saying goodbye to a sulking Robert and a far too drunk Aaron, leaning against Robert’s back happily.

“They’ll do fine,” Wanda says, ever the voice of wisdom and Caroline believes her.

 

-

 

**8\. “You’re afraid that you’ll lose me in big crowds so you always hold my hand but now you just hold my hand when there’s only, like, five people around and I’m getting vry suspicious”**

 

**-**

 

The first time it happens, they are at a car fair in Manchester. They are still tentative around each other, not quite sure what’s allowed and what’s not allowed. It’s a date, no doubt about it, orchestrated with each other, no awkward third or fourth or fifth wheel around. It’s just the two of them, doing things their own way without disapproving looks.

Aaron likes Robert loads better when it’s just the two of them, talking and making fun of each other.

He’s still surprised when Robert clasps his hand in his own and starts moving into the throng of people.

“What?” Robert says when they’ve reached the other end of the throng and there is a bit of breathing space around them.

“No, nuthin,” Aaron says and buys them both beers.

The second time, Robert’s invited him to London for a business meeting and a fancy hotel that the new client’s paying for. They’re standing in the midst of the commuter rush on the Tube, both with luggage and the stench of train on them. Aaron stares annoyed at a bloke in a suit who’s a bit too close when he feels Robert slide his hand into his.

“Keep up,” Robert says and tugs him into the carriage, long fingers intertwining with Aaron’s own, a firm grip.

They’re out of the Tube and waiting on the receptionist in the hotel when Aaron finally asks why Robert keeps holding his hand in big crowds.

“You’re short,” Robert says with a grin. “I could lose you in big crowds.”

Aaron snorts. “You’re cracking.”

Robert gives him his best ‘who me’-face.

Aaron takes note the third time, the sixth time and to his own surprise even the tenth time. Robert never makes a big deal out of it. And for each time, the crowds gets smaller and their need for touch grows stronger. They have always brushed against each other, always touched a shoulder there, a shoulder here, constantly in need of each other, Aaron supposes. Though their relationship is old news now, they haven’t lost their need for reassurance and Aaron suspects they never will.

On a particular beautiful day in December, Robert insists they go see Andy make a fool of himself in Sarah’s improvised play with the whole village present. Several people have been robed into it, including Chas playing a disgruntled goat herder. It’s set in the church and it’s packed full of good spirits and stressing kids. They can’t even get a seat, so they’re stood in the back with Victoria and Adam.

Aaron can feel Robert behind him, leaning halfway against the wall and mostly on Aaron. The only thing missing is them holding hands to look like the perfect fairytale couple from Canal Street.

“What do you think Chas hates more?” Robert asks amusedly and leans closer to Aaron, touching the back of his hand against his. “The hat or the skirt?”

“Hat, definitely,” Aaron remarks and they spend the next half hour whispering rude comments into each other’s ears about the costumes and the play – with no one hearing hopefully. It’s not until they’re leaving that Aaron grabs Robert’s hand tightly in his own.

Robert looks startled and flushes a pretty red that Aaron rarely sees outside of the bedroom. “What are you doing?”

Aaron pulls him closer and plants a kiss on his cheek. “Got tired of the excuses. If you want to hold my hand, hold me hand, you weirdo.”

Robert coughs uncomfortably, but doesn’t let go.

 

\--

 

the end (4-6-15)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm on tumblr as reinacadeea. come and have a chat!

**Author's Note:**

> the prompts are obviously very loosely interpreted. it's more fun that way isn't it? i'm on tumblr as reinacadeea as well. feedback is welcome and appreciated
> 
> also there are four more prompt. i'll most likely get around to those soon


End file.
